EGPC: who works there
In the Western Desert, operating companies such as Khalda Petroleum and Qarun Petroleum are joint ventures between EGPC and an international operator, so desert field rules often follow the joint-venture company.
EGPC · IECEx
IECEx Mobile Phone for EGPC
EGPC was established in 1956 in Cairo as the General Petroleum Authority and was renamed the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation in 1962, so it is a long-standing state body. It covers exploration, refining and storage, and nearly all of Egypt's refining companies are its subsidiaries. This page explains what to look for in an IECEx mobile phone for EGPC, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicIECEx
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereEGPC
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for EGPC: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx mobile phone for EGPC
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of conformity | Number checkable on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Standards edition | The IEC 60079 edition the certificate cites | Stated on the certificate when issued |
| Schedule of conditions | Limits of use, batteries and accessories | Published with the certificate |
| Where it applies | EGPC: Refinery process units, Crude oil production and storage, Fuel storage and loading | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Egypt
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Egypt. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The organisation · EGPC
Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC): operations and where an Ex phone fits
A short profile of its operations and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Sites and areas
- Suez refinery
- Tanta refinery
- El-Nasr refinery (Suez)
- Mostorod refinery (Cairo)
Classified areas
- Refinery process units
- Crude oil production and storage
- Fuel storage and loading
Supplier approval · EGPC
Becoming an approved supplier to EGPC
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself; confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams. The Ex certificate and an organisation's own vendor or engineering approval are two separate timelines; SAMS is working towards both and holds neither today.
Field notes · EGPC
More about EGPC that matters for portable equipment
EGPC: who works there
EGPC's refineries page lists Alexandria Petroleum, Amreya, Suez Oil Refining, Nasr, Cairo Oil Refining (Mostorod and Tanta), Assiut, MIDOR, AMOC and ANRPC.
EGPC: industry on the ground
Its business includes crude oil exploration, refining and storage, lubricants and greases production and services for oil and gas projects, so hazardous areas include refineries, depots and blending plants.
EGPC: projects and investment
In 2020 EGPC announced plans to license about 60 new fuel stations and invest 379 million Egyptian pounds in fuel stations and warehouse storage, adding retail and storage sites.
The term · IECEx
What “IECEx” means for a smartphone
IECEx is the international scheme for certifying equipment used in explosive atmospheres. A certificate of conformity is issued by an accredited certification body against a specific edition of the IEC 60079 standards and carries a schedule of conditions of safe use. It is not a legal requirement in most countries on its own, but many national schemes accept it as the technical basis.
The IECEx certificate for the IS-04Z1 is in progress and has not been issued. The marking target is Ex ib IIC T4, the intrinsic safety concept for Zone 1 gas with the hardest gas group (IIC) and a 135 °C temperature class.
In EGPC. Egypt's refinery modernisation draws international EPCs and licensors, many of whom use IECEx documents. A certificate of conformity with its schedule of conditions gives EGPC reviewers and these contractors a shared reference. The IS-04Z1 is designed for IECEx, still in progress. EGPC subsidiaries run the refineries themselves.
The route · specification
Specifying an IECEx mobile phone for EGPC
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · EGPC
Frequently asked questions
Can EGPC buy the IS-04Z1 today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an IECEx mobile phone for EGPC cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Does the IS-04Z1 hold an IECEx certificate?
No. The IECEx certificate is in progress and has not been issued. SAMS will publish the number when it exists.
How does EGPC approve suppliers?
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself; confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
Which Egyptian sites typically contain Zone 1 areas?
Typical areas include refinery process units, tank farms and loading terminals on the Suez Gulf and Mediterranean coasts, oil and gas production facilities in the Western Desert and Gulf of Suez, and fuel stations. Classification is site-specific, so request area drawings from the operator.
How do suppliers get approved by EGPC companies?
Egyptian state-owned companies generally buy through registered-vendor lists and tenders, with technical review by the user department, and joint ventures may apply their international partner's system. There is no public approved list, so confirm the route with the relevant company's procurement office.
How should dust and heat be handled for refinery rounds in Egypt?
Check the device's stated operating temperature range, plan battery use for long shifts and keep chargers in a safe area. IP68 is designed to keep dust out but is not explosion protection. The IS-04Z1 is in certification. Confirm conditions with the refinery operator.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for EGPC, other places in Egypt, and the pages behind them.
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for EGPCSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone for EGPCSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for EGPCSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for EGPCSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for EGASElsewhere in Egypt
Egypt market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for EgyptEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · EGPC
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for EGPC, Egypt
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · EGPC
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for EGPC?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.